I’m ENGAGED! It’s only been a few days, and it still feels surreal. Even though we’d been talking about getting engaged, the proposal itself was a wonderful surprise. Seeing the ring on my left hand still feels like I’m looking at someone else’s hand in the best way.
I always love hearing other people’s proposal stories, so I’ve been excited to share mine. The questions friends keep asking are:
1. How did he propose?
2. The ring?!
3. Any idea of a wedding date?
I’ll cover all of that below.
The Proposal
To celebrate finishing the Bar exam and before I start my job, my boyfriend—now fiancé—Bryan planned a trip to Park City, Utah. He’s been working remotely during the days, and we’ve spent a lot of time outdoors running, hiking, and biking. One evening as he wrapped up work, he asked if I wanted to drive up into the mountains. That didn’t raise my suspicions because we’ve been doing outdoor outings most nights. He told me not to worry about hiking clothes and that he had a pretty spot in mind to sit and relax, so I put on one of the dresses I packed and we headed out.
We picked up takeout from a Mediterranean spot and drove up into the mountains for a picnic. After dinner and some conversation, Bryan mentioned Guardsman Pass—the place where his parents got married—a beautiful meadow beneath the peaks. Given our relationship and the setting, many people might expect a proposal right then, but I was completely unsuspecting. We had been talking openly about engagement rings because Bryan wanted me to help choose one, and I knew he hadn’t purchased a ring.
On the drive I joked that Guardsman Pass would be such a meaningful place to get engaged, and he laughed. I even checked his pockets and teased, “There’s no ring in there, right?!” while he swatted my hand away playfully. We parked and started walking through the meadow. I noticed a photographer nearby shooting a family session, which I thought was lovely background scenery.
As we walked, Bryan got a bit sentimental, talking about how much he’d enjoyed our time together on the trip and about our relationship in general. He was talking quickly and sounded nervous, but I still didn’t put the pieces together. Then I heard footsteps behind us—turns out the family photographer had moved and was now following at a discreet distance. I set my phone on the grass so it wouldn’t be in the photos (Bryan later said I practically launched it), and tried to focus on what he was saying. My mind was both racing and blank.
Then he reached into the same pocket I’d been poking, pulled out a small ring box, knelt, and asked me to spend forever with him. I said yes. We both said later that our minds had gone blank in that moment even though we’d been discussing an engagement for months. It felt perfect.
We immediately FaceTimed both sets of parents and our siblings to share the news, which made the moment even more special. One thing I’ll always remember is how emotional Bryan was that night. He’s typically the steady, less demonstrative one, so seeing him tear up as he spoke about what I mean to him felt incredibly meaningful. He’d said beforehand that he didn’t think he’d be nervous proposing, but in the moment he admitted he was—something I found endearing.
I hadn’t had strong preferences for how a proposal should happen, but I did hope a photographer would capture it—and there was one. It made the memory even more vivid, and it was especially meaningful because this is the same spot where Bryan’s parents were married. Park City is a place he’s longed to show me, so it felt personal and right. We’ll celebrate with family once we’re back home in Raleigh, NC.
People have asked whether the photographer was pretending to be shooting a family. She was actually finishing a legitimate family session. Bryan texted her during our dinner to let her know we were coming, so she had the perfect cover. Our photographer was Whitney Charles.
The Ring
Bryan proposed with his great-grandmother’s ring, which surprised me and made everything click into place. Because I had been certain he hadn’t bought a ring, I never considered that he might use a meaningful heirloom for the proposal. Afterward, he reiterated that he still wants me to have the ring I fell in love with while ring shopping, but it meant a lot to him to use his great-grandmother’s ring in that moment. We’ll figure out the engagement ring plans together from here, which I love.
When’s the Wedding?
That’s still undecided for now. We’re excited to plan and will share a date once we pick one.
Changes to the Blog
Bryan suggested a playful “Unhealthy Bryan” section to contrast with Healthy Liv. In reality he eats similarly to me most of the time—just larger portions—and he’s a dedicated baked-goods enthusiast who loves cookie dough and cookies. I half-joked that he should start an “Unhealthy Bryan” Instagram instead.
He also encouraged more home decorating and travel content on the blog and Instagram, which I’m happy to add. I just signed a lease on my first house and will move in soon; Bryan will join once we’re married. I’m excited to share the process and more of our life together.
Thanks for reading and celebrating with us!
Question for you…if you’re engaged or married, how did the proposal happen?